Video: Axelrod dodges the “better off four years ago” question; Update: Video fixed

posted at 11:01 am on September 2, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

Want a preview of the presidential debates? Then spend two and a half minutes with this clip from today’s Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace and David Axelrod. Wallace asks Axelrod the quadrennial question: are voters better off now than four years ago? When the man running Team Obama tries to run away from the question by talking about the tough environment Barack Obama inherited, Wallace lays out the comparison on economic statistics between January 2009 and today, and asks Axelrod again: are voters better off now than four years ago? Answer: Er ….

Here are the stats Wallace uses:

Unemployment: 7.8% then, 8.3% now

Median income: $54,983 then, $50,964 now

Gas prices: $1.85 per gallon then, $3.78 now

National debt: $10.6 trillion then, $15.9 trillion now

Expect Mitt Romney to memorize these statistics, and perhaps toss in the civilian participation rate, which was at 65.7% in January 2009 and in June 2009 at the start of the “recovery,” but fell to a 30-year low of 63.6% in April and is at 63.7% now. That’s actually the best measure of the Reagan Metric. If this question doesn’t come from the moderators at the debates, you can bet your bottom dollar that Romney will ask it himself — and that Obama’s (non-)answer will be just as effective, and just as revealing, as Axelrod’s today.

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Also, let’s ignore the fact that Obama had about as good of a political power balance as you will find in our system of government for the first 2 years, with high personal popularity. Instead, lets continue to hammer relentlessly that “obstructionist republican” talking point, because it sounds so great.

He’s a openly Gay African-American Marxist College Professor, Obama IS his messiah, it really is that simple.

SWalker on September 2, 2012 at 11:59 AM

I add in that, if he’s going to shill for his precious Obama, he’s inadequate to the task of such promotion. Nothing of his posts, as I have seen so long, are going to persuade a waverer to vote for Obama, let alone any of us Conservatives.

The best part was Wallace’s presentation. He didn’t merely present the four item chart and ask the question. He started with one stat, showed a one-item chart. Mentioned the second stat, showed a two-item chart. And so on. It was unbelievably effective. It was as if he hit Axelrod over the head with a four-by-four four times before ultimately asking the question.

The GOP needs to make those numbers unforgettable.

But Donna Brazille says that Obama has to run agressively on his record.

I said this yesterday to you or someone else. Don’t dump on a Procter & Gamble icon. The company has its headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a CRITICAL county (Hamilton). Besides, Axelrod more resembles Ron Jeremy or some other sleazy porn star.

This is﻿ more propaganda from a Democrat party shill. The swill pouring from this swine’s mouth is hard to take. Once again, this display proves that the old Soviet Union propagandists have had a tremendous impact on the Democrat party.

Unfortunately, because Obama is just as reliant upon large corporate donations as the GOP he can never talk about the growth in anti-employee initiatives within the private sector, thats the verboten topic in American politics.

There is zero chance that the in-the-tank lefty “moderators” are going to challenge their Prince Precious with that type of question.

Dr. Carlo Lombardi on September 2, 2012 at 11:44 AM

They won’t ask, but an excellent debater such as Mitt, will interject them into an answer. He also needs to do something different ala Eastwood where he has a whiteboard, a chart or two, run a clip or two of Blightbringer’s promises, etc., so the low info Pooky can visualize the issues.

And of course Professor Libfree has voluntarily taken a 50% cut in pay so that the lowliest janitor at his college can make more money.

No really…..why is everyone laughing?

Bishop on September 2, 2012 at 12:09 PM

The Good Professor is educated beyond his intelligence, otherwise he would have long ago noticed that he has become one of the oppressors. He would rather publish diatribes accusing white people of being the root of all evil rather than intellectually grasp the fact that his income is double the national average that makes HIM the Cracker putting the whip to the oppressed backs.

Libfreeordie must have one of the largest caches of liberal BS in the country at his/her/its disposal but unlike “evil” corporations who are wisely not investing in the current economic climate, he/she/it throws out this BS as if it is in endless supply.

On one level, by channeling Bob Newhart and Jimmy Stewart, Eastwood was speaking on behalf of past generations who are no longer with us, who would have seen Obama for the anti-American Leftist radical that he is, and who would have never given him a pass on his associations with the likes of Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers.

On another level, he was true to his movie persona, playing the role of the mysterious cowboy who rides in on horseback and sets the townspeople straight, inspiring them to gather the nerve to take their town back from the corrupt Sheriff and his corrupt Deputy (“you own this town”).

Years from now, Eastwood will be remembered as a real life hero who poured cold water on the heads of the American people, and then slapped them in the face and said “snap out of it, before it’s too late”.

On one level, by channeling Bob Newhart and Jimmy Stewart, Eastwood was speaking on behalf of past generations who are no longer with us, who would have seen Obama for the anti-American Leftist radical that he is, and who would have never given him a pass on his associations with the likes of Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers.

On another level, he was true to his movie persona, playing the role of the mysterious cowboy who rides in on horseback and sets the townspeople straight, inspiring them to gather the nerve to take their town back from the corrupt Sheriff and his corrupt Deputy (“you own this town”).

Years from now, Eastwood will be remembered as a real life hero who poured cold water on the heads of the American people, and then slapped them in the face and said “snap out of it, before it’s too late”.

Libfreeordie must have one of the largest caches of liberal BS in the country at his/her/its disposal but unlike “evil” corporations who are wisely not investing in the current economic climate, he/she/it throws out this BS as if it is in endless supply.

natasha333 on September 2, 2012 at 12:16 PM

That one is brainwashed and incapable of independence or independent thought like no other.

Like I said, Obama and company don’t have a clue how badly Clint carved them up, they’re like the cartoon character who gets shot up and thinks he’s ok until he takes a drink of water and the water come pouring out of 100 different holes.

“An e-mail sent Thursday night to the DeKalb County, GA Democratic party enlightens us to their strategy. Below is an excerpt from the e-mail. [Emphasis mine]

Everyone who is at Manuel’s Tavern or the Bibb County Democratic Party by noon is eligible for two tickets. Arrive early if you want, but it won’t give you a better chance to win. Just be there by 12 noon!

If less than 50 people arrive, everyone will get a pair! If more than 50 folks arrive, we will do a random drawing to determine our winners.

There is no cost involved. We’re not selling the tickets, we’re giving them away.

Since we’re not selling tickets, you can’t sell them either! If you sell your tickets to someone else, they will be deactivated.

For planning purposes, we expect that President Obama will speak at 8pm on Thursday. To insure that you are in your seat for the speech, you should arrive at the stadium that afternoon. There will be strict security at the event.

Your trip to Charlotte to see the President’s historic speech begins tomorrow.”

“anti-employee initiatives”??? You can’t get more anti employee than to create an economic and regulatory environment that kills growth or makes every employment decision a crap shoot. Damn if I’m not sick to death of these incompetent heads up their you-know-whats liberal, progressive theorists who erroneously conflate the “effort” they put into going to school as an equivalent for actual real world experience that gives them — and only them– the moral authority to criticize what they themselves are incapable of doing: actual hard work resulting in job creation.

Like I said, Obama and company don’t have a clue how badly Clint carved them up, they’re like the cartoon character who gets shot up and thinks he’s ok until he takes a drink of water and the water come pouring out of 100 different holes.

I am suprised that people don’t ever call these liars out since all the facts are out there.
Most of the policies that have brought this great nation to her knees have been put in place by the DEMS.
from 1933 to 2010 77 years the DEMS have had full control 51 of those years (with the exception of 1981-1987 when PUBS contolled the Senate.)
Here are just a few of the destructive policies that have brought us to where we are now.

Speaking of greed and hypocrisy are you still pursuing that college teaching career when there are oh so many victims of low socio-economic school districts you could help by teaching in those districts.

Speaking of greed and hypocrisy are you still pursuing that college teaching career when there are oh so many victims of low socio-economic school districts you could help by teaching in those districts.

When I was watching it live, I could see that he was obviously doing some sort of skit. But I couldn’t figure out if his mannerisms were part of the act, or if he was just struggling to pull the skit off. But once I started reading about the references to Jimmy Stewart in “Harvey”, I realized that he was purposely keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The messed up hair was part of that. He wanted all the perfectly groomed Left wing Hollywood types, with their implants, botox, and face lifts to be saying “oh wow, poor Clint, what’s happened to him”.

This will go down as the best performance of his life. When Romney wins, they should bring Eastwood out at the inaugural ball, looking like a million bucks, with his hair blow dried, waving one of his Oscars in the air, and saying “this one is for you guys”.

Someone should throw this one at both Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Stephanie “Baghdad Barbie” Cutter.

One will likely either mumble, stutter and attempt to change the subject, while the other will smile, look at the camera with a perfectly straight face, and say we ARE already better off now, we just don’t see it.

How come none of these “wise” political talking heads never compares the economy from the time Obama came to Washington and from before he came to Washington? It would be devastating. Especially if it was framed as his ideas vs. Romney’s ideas. Tax and Spend gone crazy vs. Cut spending and grow the economy.

The private sector is generally more incompetent than the public sector.

crr6 on June 12, 2010 at 12:08 PM

You can’t at all credibly speak about the state of the economy. That’s because you’re in a Recession-proof “job” that rewards you the same no matter how shoddy the product you produce is. Whether you turn out brilliant students or crappy students, you still have your job. In any other field that required real knowledge and experience, you would have been canned a long time ago.

By the way, below is a quote from the dude from here in New Hampshire who originally uttered the quote that you have adapted for your Sig. You might want to consider that you’re naming yourself after a General who was a hero at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Here’s what General John “Live Free or Die” Stark had to say about the Battle of Bennington:

My men, yonder are the Hessians. They were bought for seven pounds and ten pence a man. Are you worth more? Prove it. Tonight, the American flag floats from yonder hill or Molly Stark sleeps a widow.

Have you ever worked in the private sector, let alone in corporate life? Have you ever had to meet a payroll? Ever paid corporate taxes or income tax for that matter?

CorporatePiggy on September 2, 2012 at 12:28 PM

Don’t waste your time. The Unit is not programmed to respond in that area.

As a “college professor”, libfree has it all-no matter how shoddy the product he turns out, he will still be paid the same as he would for turning out a decent quality product. And unlike any other field or profession I know, his “profession” will absolutely not penalize him for wrongdoing, unless it becomes too scandalous to sweep under the rug. See “Ward Churchill” and “Elizabeth Warren”, who were (and still are) allowed to function in academia using falsified credentials.

Don’t waste your time. The Unit is not programmed to respond in that area.

As a “college professor”, libfree has it all-no matter how shoddy the product he turns out, he will still be paid the same as he would for turning out a decent quality product. And unlike any other field or profession I know, his “profession” will absolutely not penalize him for wrongdoing, unless it becomes too scandalous to sweep under the rug. See “Ward Churchill” and “Elizabeth Warren”, who were (and still are) allowed to function in academia using falsified credentials.

Del Dolemonte on September 2, 2012 at 1:11 PM

Like Obama, libfree could basically get caught eating dead babies out of a human skull soup bowl and nothing would be done about it.

Dimbulb hack lefty operative is Axelrod, but even he can scare up enough brain wave activity to translate the question to, “Things were better when Bush was president.” This administration would sooner send pork products to their chums in the Muslim Brotherhood than ever admit that.

Like Obama, libfree could basically get caught eating dead babies out of a human skull soup bowl and nothing would be done about it.

SWalker on September 2, 2012 at 1:13 PM

Oh, and a confidential source has informed that Obama does have a complete 8 piece human skull soup bowl set… Given to him by Harry Reid as an inauguration gift, made from the skulls of the boys Harry killed and ate.

When I was watching it live, I could see that he was obviously doing some sort of skit. But I couldn’t figure out if his mannerisms were part of the act, or if he was just struggling to pull the skit off. But once I started reading about the references to Jimmy Stewart in “Harvey”, I realized that he was purposely keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The messed up hair was part of that. He wanted all the perfectly groomed Left wing Hollywood types, with their implants, botox, and face lifts to be saying “oh wow, poor Clint, what’s happened to him”.

watching it live was tough I remembered thinking something wrong with Clint.

since then I’ve read the transcript.
if you just read it it’s devastating against Obama.

I’ve also seen an edited version with clint’s awkward pauses taken out. It also is extremely funny and devastating

And unlike any other field or profession I know, his “profession” will absolutely not penalize him for wrongdoing, unless it becomes too scandalous to sweep under the rug. See “Ward Churchill” and “Elizabeth Warren”, who were (and still are) allowed to function in academia using falsified credentials.

Del Dolemonte on September 2, 2012 at 1:11 PM

….or unless the offense is plagiarism (they take that offense more seriously in the academia), and sooner or later libfree will be caught with the hands in the cookie jar…that one does not have a single original thought in his tiny skull, mostly he recycles garbage from various sources…